EOFF - Best Comedians!

[Hazzard]

Name some of your favorites and why.

My two faves have to be Katt Williams and Dane Cook. Now yours...

[ljkkjlcm9]

Mitch Hedberg and Daniel Tosh

THE JACKEL

[Goldenboko]

You got me all excited, I thought we where going to have a comedy contest :(

[I Don't Need A Name]

Bill Bailey, Rowan Atkinson, Fry & Laurie, Monty Python

[scrumpleberry]

Bill Bailey, Rowan Atkinson, Fry & Laurie, Monty Python

French & Saunders...

Yeah, that about covers it.

[Montoya]

Steven Wright, his style is just so random it fits my sense of humor.

[Hazzard]

You got me all excited, I thought we where going to have a comedy contest :(

That's quite a good idea. Someone should try do that.

[sillybuttons™]

Ross Noble is amazing and Eddie Izzard is the funniest stand up comic ive ever seen.
Izzard is probably better known in the states. MODS - Can I post a link to some of Noble's stuff in this thread? :mog:

[Goldenboko]

Anyway, Patton Oswalt is pretty hilarious.

[Hazzard]

Ross Noble is amazing and Eddie Izzard is the funniest stand up comic ive ever seen.
Izzard is probably better known in the states. MODS - Can I post a link to some of Noble's stuff in this thread? :mog:

Go ahead. Look at some of Cook's stuff while you're at it:

YouTube - Dane Cook - Parenting Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQIzRCHW5sE)

[Dreddz]

Paul Merton.

[Goldenboko]

Ross Noble is amazing and Eddie Izzard is the funniest stand up comic ive ever seen.
Izzard is probably better known in the states. MODS - Can I post a link to some of Noble's stuff in this thread? :mog:

Go ahead. Look at some of Cook's stuff while you're at it:

YouTube - Dane Cook - Parenting Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQIzRCHW5sE)

Dane Cook's stuff is funny the first few times. Cause he's loud and stuff. But when you get those assholes who just repeat his work when it just doesn't belong, I want to kill everyone around me :bigsmile:

[Roto13]

Dane Cook steals too many jokes.

[Hazzard]

Dane Cook steals too many jokes.

It's his own original material. He doesn't steal from other stand-up comics, they copy from him.

[Roto13]

No. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dane_Cook#Plagiarism)

[Goldenboko]

I'm aware of three jokes with the same topic, and similar punchlines. Not enough to say he got his fame from being a thief though, considering before I explored the topic, I had never even heard those jokes from him... and I thought they where kinda crap compared to the ones I enjoyed.

[Roto13]

When someone releases an album and four years later someone else releases an album with three of the same bits, tweaked a little bit, there's no way it's a coincidence.

[Goldenboko]

When someone releases an album and four years later someone else releases an album with three of the same bits, tweaked a little bit, there's no way it's a coincidence.

I'm not saying he didn't take the joke. I am saying, his career isn't fueled nor should it be scrapped by three jokes, especially if I didn't find the jokes funny by the original, or the reproducer :P

[sillybuttons™]

Here is the links for the encore to one of Ross Nobles shows (Randomist) in 3 parts on youtube.

YouTube - Ross Noble - Randomist Encore Part 1/3 (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BfTWy2i5U0Y) (part 1)

YouTube - Ross Noble - Randomist Encore Part 2/3 (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=L6YOT-Ggvg8&feature=related) (pt 2)


YouTube - Ross Noble - Randomist Encore Part 3/3 (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ng9mDM6tBL0&feature=related) (pt 3)

He is a stand up comic from near my home town of Gateshead. These are just the encore. He goes on stage with very little, if any, script and ... well... he just does what he does. And if your reading Ross, I want some credit for taking you across the pond. :-):mog:

[Roto13]

Either way, he's a joke thief. It's not even a safe assumption that the rest of his material is his own. Hell, every joke he's ever told could have been stolen from someone for all anyone knows.

Most of his own jokes suck, anyway, if they are indeed his own. There's a setup and then he makes a weird noise or a funny face instead of a punchline. That'd be great if I was six months old.

[Goldenboko]

Either way, he's a joke thief. It's not even a safe assumption that the rest of his material is his own. Hell, every joke he's ever told could have been stolen from someone for all anyone knows.

I hate that kind of logic. Have you ever borrowed a dollar and forgot to give the person a dollar back? Most likely... THEN YOU CAN NEVER BE TRUSTED WHEN IT COMES TO BORROWING THINGS!

Sounds ridiculous imo. He probably took those jokes, is that wrong? Yes. Should you label someone, and never forgive them? I think you should see if its an ongoing issue, and not kill someone over one mistake.

[Roto13]

Either way, he's a joke thief. It's not even a safe assumption that the rest of his material is his own. Hell, every joke he's ever told could have been stolen from someone for all anyone knows.

I hate that kind of logic. Have you ever borrowed a dollar and forgot to give the person a dollar back? Most likely... THEN YOU CAN NEVER BE TRUSTED WHEN IT COMES TO BORROWING THINGS!

How about if I borrowed a thousand dollars and never returned it. Yeah, I wouldn't be very trustworthy, would I? Besides, Dane Cook steals. That's a lot worse.


Sounds ridiculous imo. He probably took those jokes, is that wrong? Yes. Should you label someone, and never forgive them? I think you should see if its an ongoing issue, and not kill someone over one mistake.


It is. He's been accused of stealing jokes from several people. It's not an isolated incident. This is what he does.

[Heath]

Paul Merton, Bill Bailey, Rob Brydon, Stephen Fry, David Mitchell, John Cleese, Linda Smith (sadly missed) and Jack Dee are all great, off the top of my head. Ian Hislop as well if you'd count him. The gang off I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Barry Cryer and the sadly missed Humphrey Lyttleton) are also great.

[Dolentrean]

Christopher Titus - Norman Rockwell is Bleeding = best stand up act ever.

[Rantz]

In stand up, Mitch Hedberg and Jim Gaffigan are golden. Well, were, in the case of Hedberg. :(

[sillybuttons™]

I bought a chessboard the other day, but it was no good. I took it back to the shop and said "thats stale mate" he said "are you sure?" I said "check mate"

TIM VINE.

Youtube him if you like quickfire comedy.:mog:

[Citizen Bleys]

Russell Peters and Wafik Nasralla.

[Bunny]

Sounds ridiculous imo. He probably took those jokes, is that wrong? Yes. Should you label someone, and never forgive them? I think you should see if its an ongoing issue, and not kill someone over one mistake.
It is. He's been accused of stealing jokes from several people. It's not an isolated incident. This is what he does.

Louis C.K., Joe Rogan, and an Emo Phillips. Dane Cook isn't funny.

Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis, Brian Posehn, and Mitch Hedburg to name a few.

[Captain Maxx Power]

Quite a number of stand-ups; Lee Evans, Eddie Izzard, Bill Hicks, Mitch Hedberg, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock. There's probably more.

[Big D]

Bill Bailey, Rowan Atkinson, Fry & Laurie, Monty PythonHells yeah.

"STOP, I CREATED YOU!"

[Ouch!]

The lack of Mitch Hedberg love depresses me.
Seems I missed a few people shouting out his name when I skimmed through the Cook discussion. I am pleased.

On another note, I hear that Dane Cook doesn't even write his own material; he's a performer with writers to do the jokes for him. Granted, I have no evidence to support this claim, but it's just something I've heard that wouldn't surprise me.

[Breine]

Some of my favourites are:

Monty Python, Ellen DeGeneres, Pablo Francisco.. I know there are many more, but those were the ones I could think of.

[ljkkjlcm9]

I don't care who writes a joke. Fact is, Carlos Mencia got the same crap that Dane cook was getting for "stealing jokes." It all boils down to the fact that they ended up performing the joke better. The crappy comedians they "stole" from are just jealous. Comedy isn't just about the jokes, it's about the performance.

This is why no one can copy Mitch Hedberg. Even when one of my friends or someone references the joke, we all picture Hedberg saying it. And someone who hasn't heard Mitch say it, is confused as to why it is so funny. Being a Stand-up isn't just about the joke, you have to make a show of it, have a way of saying it and such. This is why Dane Cook and Carlos Mencia were popular. While the people who they "stole" jokes from are not.

On top of that, I think something like jokes is a dumb complaint about stealing. If we really want to get into it, how many times have songs been copied, movies seemed almost identical, tv shows all stemming from the same idea. Example: ER was the first huge doctor show I could think of. Now how many are there that are basically just rip-offs of that. Sure they change a bunch of things around, but it's still blatant rip-offs. Do I care? No, because some of the rip-offs change things around and make it far better. House is now my favorite doctor show out there. This is how it is with jokes. While the basis of it may be the same, and what not, changing around a few words can make a HUGE difference. Changing the story can make it completely different. That's why I hate people that quote Mitch Hedberg and don't do it word for word.... because his word selection is one of the key things that makes him hilarious.

Oh, and how many Comedians do you think have made jokes about President Bush, that are almost identical to eachother. If I'm watching a Comedian on comedy central and they start a bush joke, I'm done with them. I've heard any joke you could possibly make about him countless times, yet every time it's a new comedian doing the same jokes. Half of their jokes originated on something that wasn't even a comedy show, just someone poking fun at Bush.

THE JACKEL

[Roto13]

I don't care who writes a joke. Fact is, Carlos Mencia got the same crap that Dane cook was getting for "stealing jokes." It all boils down to the fact that they ended up performing the joke better. The crappy comedians they "stole" from are just jealous.

That's just about the most idiotic thing I've ever read. Plagiarism is stealing. Taking someone elses work and selling it without the actual creator and person behind the work getting anything for it. How can anyone honestly not see how that's wrong? And jealousy? Seriously? Is that the kind of logic floating around in your head? "Oh, Jesus, that guy stole my car. I'm so jealous."


some of the rip-offs change things around and make it far better.

Dane Cook doesn't do that. He tweaks one or two words around an regurgitates someone elses jokes almost verbatim. House isn't a ripoff of ER. ER didn't invent hospitals. House takes one element from ER. That's completely different from just copying the show entirely.

[ljkkjlcm9]

I don't care who writes a joke. Fact is, Carlos Mencia got the same crap that Dane cook was getting for "stealing jokes." It all boils down to the fact that they ended up performing the joke better. The crappy comedians they "stole" from are just jealous.

That's just about the most idiotic thing I've ever read. Plagiarism is stealing. Taking someone elses work and selling it without the actual creator and person behind the work getting anything for it. How can anyone honestly not see how that's wrong? And jealousy? Seriously? Is that the kind of logic floating around in your head? "Oh, Jesus, that guy stole my car. I'm so jealous."


Comparing stealing a car to a joke is absurd. You may not think so, but it is. It's always been hard to hold a copyright on intellectual property. And while you may think it's absurd, it happens countless times, over and over again. The only reason it becomes a factor is when the person copying does better than the original. Seriously, if these Comedians were no bigger than the original, no one would care. That is also a fact.

THE JACKEL

[Roto13]

I don't care who writes a joke. Fact is, Carlos Mencia got the same crap that Dane cook was getting for "stealing jokes." It all boils down to the fact that they ended up performing the joke better. The crappy comedians they "stole" from are just jealous.

That's just about the most idiotic thing I've ever read. Plagiarism is stealing. Taking someone elses work and selling it without the actual creator and person behind the work getting anything for it. How can anyone honestly not see how that's wrong? And jealousy? Seriously? Is that the kind of logic floating around in your head? "Oh, Jesus, that guy stole my car. I'm so jealous."


Comparing stealing a car to a joke is absurd. You may not think so, but it is. It's always been hard to hold a copyright on intellectual property. And while you may think it's absurd, it happens countless times, over and over again. The only reason it becomes a factor is when the person copying does better than the original. Seriously, if these Comedians were no bigger than the original, no one would care. That is also a fact.

THE JACKAL

I can guarantee you I would sure as :skull::skull::skull::skull: care if someone was taking credit and money for my work. And what the hell is Dane Cook doing better than Louis C.K.? Making funny faces? Because it certainly isn't writing. Delivery is important, but good writing is the backbone.

Lot's of things happen a lot that shouldn't. But I guess the logic that dictates the only reason someone can be pissed off about plagiarism is jealousy would also be twisted (and stupid) enough to dictate that something happening too much is automatically justified.

[ljkkjlcm9]

What's Dane Cook doing? I've heard of him, and I've never heard of Louis C.K. or whatever.

On top of that, I never said it was "justified" I just don't care. It's always a bunch of comedians I know nothing about and have never heard of, yelling and complaining about a bunch of huge comedians that everyone seems to know. If that joke was really the difference maker in that comedians career, I'd know the original one too. That's what gets to me. Clearly that joke isn't the significant turning point for this famous Comedian. If it were, it would've made the other comedian a huge success as well. In fact, the three jokes that Dane Cook stole from Louis CK, are some of the worst ones he tells. So honestly, I just don't care.

it's like Daniel Tosh has a joke about how rappers, who talk like they are hardcore gangsters and such, complaining about people stealing their music online. They talk about stealing, raping, shooting people... and then complain about someone downloading music. How can I honestly care about these rappers complaining?

THE JACKEL

[Dolentrean]

If I wrote a joke, and someone stole it, I don't know about you, but I would be pretty damn pissed, not jelious. Anyone who says otherwise is probobly lying.

Dane Cook, I admit I find him ammusing, but he is not a great comic. He does steal material, its there simple and clean, but the fact is, Dane Cook didn't get to be popular on his talent. After Dave Chepelle buzz started dying down, they needed a new poster boy for comedy, the picked an ammusing and more importantly, good looking comic to be there front man.

[ljkkjlcm9]

If I wrote a joke, and someone stole it, I don't know about you, but I would be pretty damn pissed, not jelious. Anyone who says otherwise is probobly lying.

I just listened to the comparison jokes that he stole, and they're different enough, and I found Dane Cooks versions far funnier. Ok, one if a guy on a bike running into a car door, the other is a guy getting hit by a car crossing the street. One is naming a kid fffffffffffffff, and the other is naming it after the chewy sound. Seriously, I've heard a number of people do jokes about getting hit by cars, or peoples names. Yet these are similar enough that people say it's blatant copying. I don't think it was, but that's just me. Now if it were identical it'd be one thing, but they weren't

THE JACKEL

[Roto13]

What's Dane Cook doing? I've heard of him, and I've never heard of Louis C.K. or whatever.

On top of that, I never said it was "justified" I just don't care. It's always a bunch of comedians I know nothing about and have never heard of, yelling and complaining about a bunch of huge comedians that everyone seems to know. If that joke was really the difference maker in that comedians career, I'd know the original one too. That's what gets to me. Clearly that joke isn't the significant turning point for this famous Comedian. If it were, it would've made the other comedian a huge success as well. In fact, the three jokes that Dane Cook stole from Louis CK, are some of the worst ones he tells. So honestly, I just don't care.

Louis C.K. is off polishing his Emmy he got for comedy writing. That's what he's doing.

Dane Cook barely even has any jokes. He has setups followed by weird noises. Those aren't jokes. That's literally infant-level humour.

[ljkkjlcm9]

Louis C.K. is off polishing his Emmy he got for comedy writing. That's what he's doing.

haha those awards are the dumbest things ever. Most movies that win awards are ones I'd never heard of until they won awards... or ones that just couldn't be ignored because of huge success. Awards like that are political BS.

Either way, after reading about him, he didn't get the Emmy for his standup. In fact he got it writing jokes for other people to tell. Interesting how that works!

And this is like comparing buying an old model of a car that's rundown and no one wants anymore, to a newer model that runs nicer and is widely popular. The jokes are not identical, and I feel they are different enough. It boils down to what I said before, it's only because of how famous Dane Cook is that it's even an issue.

THE JACKEL

[Roto13]

Yeah, he won an emmy for writing jokes for other people to tell. Not to steal.

The jokes are not different enough. You said you never even heard of Louis C.K. before an hour ago. You haven't heard his versions of them. Stop hauling stuff out of your ass.


haha those awards are the dumbest things ever. Most movies that win awards are ones I'd never heard of until they won awards... or ones that just couldn't be ignored because of huge success.

So they're dumb because they look at both popular and unpopular movies? Putting aside the fact that the Emmys are about TV and not movies at all, how the hell is looking at all of the possible contenders a bad thing? Also, I see your stupid logic is hard at work there, too. If you've never heard of something it's obviously not very good, right? God.

[ljkkjlcm9]

Yeah, he won an emmy for writing jokes for other people to tell. Not to steal.

The jokes are not different enough. You said you never even heard of Louis C.K. before an hour ago. You haven't heard his versions of them. Stop hauling stuff out of your ass.


haha those awards are the dumbest things ever. Most movies that win awards are ones I'd never heard of until they won awards... or ones that just couldn't be ignored because of huge success.

So they're dumb because they look at both popular and unpopular movies? Putting aside the fact that the Emmys are about TV and not movies at all, how the hell is looking at all of the possible contenders a bad thing? Also, I see your stupid logic is hard at work there, too. If you've never heard of something it's obviously not very good, right? God.

If you read what I said, I went and looked up the jokes he supposedly stole and watched them on youtube. I still think they sound different, only moderatly similar. And yes, what most people haven't heard of is typically not as good as the popular things. Things become popular for a reason. As for giving credit to the popular and unpopular movies, I've gone and watched so many award winning things after the fact, and they were all awful. There was a reason they were not popular.

Roto, everyone that doesn't agree with you is deemed stupid. It's not that simple. There's only one real issue at play here. Dane Cook became popular. If Dane Cook was just some comedian who didn't make it big, no one would care. In fact, he could rip off all his jokes, and no one would care if he wasn't popular. But as soon as you become huge, people are always trying to bring you down, anyway they can. As I stated, I went and watched/listened to BOTH versions, BACK TO BACK of the jokes he "stole" and I warrant that they were different. Sure the underlying idea behind it is the same, but the jokes were written different and followed a different order.

THE JACKEL

[NeoCracker]

Yes, it is an issue because Dane cook became popular.

However, thats likely how people found out about it. If he wasn't popular, what do you think the chances are of anyone at all noticing he's been steeling his material? Not very high, as either a) No one knows about it, or b) He's not popular because people figured out ahead of time he was stealing jokes and has been shot down for it by the people, meaning theres no need to go after him as the works already been done. Otherwise it would be like kicking a dead horse.



Anyway, more on topic.

My personal Favorite Comedian is Lewis Black. Black on Broadway was all sorts of hilarious, especially the bits on Water. :p

Mitch HEdberg was also a genius. I love the PCP and the loud music bits he does.

Honorable mentions to Patton Oswalt, Kevin Smith, the guy who did "Behind the Pale", Dave Chappelle, Katt Williams, Lisa Lampanelli, Sephen Lynch, and this guy.

YouTube - There's always whiskey - Eric Campbell (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o94wi2dAKis)

[Roto13]

Roto, everyone that doesn't agree with you is deemed stupid. It's not that simple.

More like everyone who can't understand that plagiarism is stealing and stealing is wrong is stupid. That's pretty simple. Dane Cook is a thief.

Sometimes great things stay unpopular and sometimes crappy things become popular. If you think sales figures equal quality, go play Enter the Matrix for a little bit. You don't see Scary Movie 18 winning the Oscar for Best Picture, though.

Also, if you think there's a reasonable difference between Lewis C.K.'s version of the bits and Dane Cook's, you're either deaf or lying. The prick didn't even bother to give them proper name changes.

[Arc_Master_14]

Jeff Dunham and The Amazing Johnathan

[ff7+ff10 gurl 100]

Demetri Martin, Pablo Fransisco and Dance Cook. :)

[Raistlin]

I don't care who writes a joke. Fact is, Carlos Mencia got the same crap that Dane cook was getting for "stealing jokes."

Wait, are you implaying that Carlos Mencia is funny? Well, I guess that's not much worse than finding Dane Cook funny. Both of them are godawful.

Any list of comedians with Monty Python is a good list.

[Vyk]

Gaffigan love

Jeremy Hotz was amusing too. Just to name someone not yet listed

[Jings]

Billy Connolly, there will be no greater. This thread has reached its natural conclusion.

Jimmy Carr's pretty good too.

[Shoeberto]

I don't care who writes a joke. Fact is, Carlos Mencia got the same crap that Dane cook was getting for "stealing jokes."

Wait, are you implaying that Carlos Mencia is funny? Well, I guess that's not much worse than finding Dane Cook funny. Both of them are godawful.
Yes. Holy crap are they bad.

Seeing that Mencia is still on TV makes me want to hurt people. His show started as a poor replacement for Chapelle's Show and somehow stayed on air long enough to gain popularity with the inbred masses and oh god it makes me so angry.

Dane Cook (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy4zgCsgqyo). I really despise MadTV but they really hit the nail on the head with it. Cook's really interesting, though, because he's so divisive. His fans are like... obsessive, and then outside of those people, they hate him. And I still think he's every bit the joke thief that Carlos Mencia is. I don't care if they 'made them popular.' Having appeal to the MTV crowd and telling jokes some other much funnier person came up with doesn't make you a good comedian, it makes you a jackass.

I really like Demetri Martin. He's basically my favorite. Zach Galifinakis, Jim Gaffigan, Patton Oswalt, and others that I can't think of (haven't watched much stand-up in a while) are pretty awesome too.

[Madame Adequate]

Mitch Hedberg, the Python gang, Rowan Atkinson circa Blackadder, Bill Bailey, Billy Connelly, Fry & Laurie.

@ Roto: So everyone who ever tells 'The Aristocrats' has stolen the joke from whoever came up with it first?

[demondude]

Russell brand and David mitchell. (if he counts)

[Roto13]

@ Roto: So everyone who ever tells 'The Aristocrats' has stolen the joke from whoever came up with it first?

If they pretend they made it up themselves, yep.

[Bunny]

You can't "steal" The Aristocrats. It is not a joke in and of itself. It is a formula for a joke. Every person who tells The Aristocrats tells it in a different way.